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I am 27 year old female, about 5'5 and was 260 pounds when this occurred. I was safely dieting, reached my lowest weight in 10 years and felt the best I had in years until all of this happened.I have hypothyroidism, am pre-pre-diabetic (the way my gp described it), and have low blood sugar (hypoglycemic).

Back in January (of this year 2013), I had a syncope episode and lost complete consciousness. If my boyfriend hadn't been around to catch me before I collapsed, it's hard telling what type of damage I would have done to myself. The day after I passed out, my body felt like it was beat with a baseball bat -- everything on the inside and outside felt severely bruised and hurt. I started experiencing some mild chest pain (sharp and stabbing) on the right side under my ribs, heavy pressure in the chest, heart palpitations, fast pulse, continuous dizziness, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath and severe headaches. I also started having severe pain in my feet, a burning, stinging sensation in them that would wake me up in the middle of the night. When I wake up, my feet are hot, swollen, and have red splotches on them. My general practitioner ordered an MRI and heart echo just to ensure there was not any damage.

I followed up with a neurologist, who said the MRI did not show any damage and upon an exam, referred me to see a diabetic specialist. Prior, my general practitioner said my blood levels were very normal and so low that he couldn't even classify me as pre-diabetic, but we were trying to get my weight under control to stabilize and prevent diabetes. I followed up with a cardiologist who said my heart echo was normal and they completed an in-house EKG which was normal, too. He basically put me on "light-duty", to rest as much as I can when the symptoms hit and restricted me from driving. He ordered a tilt-table test, which was inconclusive -- my blood pressure dropped to 101/664 after they gave me the nitro tablet to induce syncope, but I did not pass out on the table. I felt dizzy, sick, and very hot, but never passed out. He gave me a 24-hour heart monitor and that showed a heart arrhythmia and rapid heart pulse of 123bpm during my sleep. He said that would be the cause of my heart fluttering, palpitations and dizziness. He checked my thyroid level to ensure my medicine was still working appropriately and the test came back at level 1.7, so he said it was not my thyroid. He decided to try a beta-blocker to see if that would help my symptoms, but there were not any changes in my symptoms.

At my follow-up two weeks ago, he took me off the beta blocker since it was not helping and ordered a chest/abdomen ultrasound, x-ray, and additional blood work. He thinks I may have gallstones or a problem with my gallbladder, so the test results should show one way or another. He was going to put me on a calcium blocker, but decided to wait until the test results came back. I see my cardiologist and general practitioner tomorrow for follow-up appointments and test results.

I've been on a medical leave from work for over 2 months and I feel like as each week has passed, I'm slowly getting worse. The first 2-3 weeks after my original syncope episode, I could barely move 20 feet without feeling like I was going to pass out or collapse. I still have a lot of the dizziness, but I've adapted to my symptoms and do little things at a time. My bowels have not been regular during this entire situation, either. For about 2-3 weeks, I would either go days without having a movement or would go multiple times during the day. It's finally gotten a little more regular, but still not normal. I struggle with being hot, then freezing.

There is something wrong, but no test results to identify it. Can anyone give me advice or suggestions? I desperately need it. Thanks.

Thanks for your Reply!

0 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Multiple tests and doctors, no diagnosisI am 27 year old female, about 5'5 and was 260 pounds when this occurred. I was safely dieting, reached my lowest weight in 10 years and felt the best I had in years until all of this happened.I have hypothyroidism, am pre-pre-diabetic (the way my gp described it), and have low blood sugar (hypoglycemic).

Back in January (of this year 2013), I had a syncope episode and lost complete consciousness. If my boyfriend hadn't been around to catch me before I collapsed, it's hard telling what type of damage I would have done to myself. The day after I passed out, my body felt like it was beat with a baseball bat -- everything on the inside and outside felt severely bruised and hurt. I started experiencing some mild chest pain (sharp and stabbing) on the right side under my ribs, heavy pressure in the chest, heart palpitations, fast pulse, continuous dizziness, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath and severe headaches. I also started having severe pain in my feet, a burning, stinging sensation in them that would wake me up in the middle of the night. When I wake up, my feet are hot, swollen, and have red splotches on them. My general practitioner ordered an MRI and heart echo just to ensure there was not any damage.

I followed up with a neurologist, who said the MRI did not show any damage and upon an exam, referred me to see a diabetic specialist. Prior, my general practitioner said my blood levels were very normal and so low that he couldn't even classify me as pre-diabetic, but we were trying to get my weight under control to stabilize and prevent diabetes. I followed up with a cardiologist who said my heart echo was normal and they completed an in-house EKG which was normal, too. He basically put me on "light-duty", to rest as much as I can when the symptoms hit and restricted me from driving. He ordered a tilt-table test, which was inconclusive -- my blood pressure dropped to 101/664 after they gave me the nitro tablet to induce syncope, but I did not pass out on the table. I felt dizzy, sick, and very hot, but never passed out. He gave me a 24-hour heart monitor and that showed a heart arrhythmia and rapid heart pulse of 123bpm during my sleep. He said that would be the cause of my heart fluttering, palpitations and dizziness. He checked my thyroid level to ensure my medicine was still working appropriately and the test came back at level 1.7, so he said it was not my thyroid. He decided to try a beta-blocker to see if that would help my symptoms, but there were not any changes in my symptoms.

At my follow-up two weeks ago, he took me off the beta blocker since it was not helping and ordered a chest/abdomen ultrasound, x-ray, and additional blood work. He thinks I may have gallstones or a problem with my gallbladder, so the test results should show one way or another. He was going to put me on a calcium blocker, but decided to wait until the test results came back. I see my cardiologist and general practitioner tomorrow for follow-up appointments and test results.

I've been on a medical leave from work for over 2 months and I feel like as each week has passed, I'm slowly getting worse. The first 2-3 weeks after my original syncope episode, I could barely move 20 feet without feeling like I was going to pass out or collapse. I still have a lot of the dizziness, but I've adapted to my symptoms and do little things at a time. My bowels have not been regular during this entire situation, either. For about 2-3 weeks, I would either go days without having a movement or would go multiple times during the day. It's finally gotten a little more regular, but still not normal. I struggle with being hot, then freezing.

There is something wrong, but no test results to identify it. Can anyone give me advice or suggestions? I desperately need it. Thanks.

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